Letdown
by Franksey
Summary: When James tries to show Lily he has actually changed from the boy he used to be, will she believe him? And if Lily lets herself believe James has changed, will she just be setting herself up for the ultimate letdown?


_**Letdown **_

_Lily_

The weather that surrounded the bright red train could be described as nothing more than beautiful, the sun, for once, was shining down on the youth of England's wizarding society, boys of all ages where jumping around, smiling at the pretty girls, or just simply giving there best mate the hand shake only a guy can give another guy.

Couples where reuniting, silently slipping themselves away to places there friends, first years, and adults would never think to look Girls where all giggling, telling their best friends about there summer flings, or about the pretty new car daddy dearest bought them.

The smiles that adorned almost all of the youths faces, told anyone that bothered to look, that they where look forward to the year that awaited them. Muggle born witches and wizards could be seen smashing there way through the barrier that linked the Hogwarts express, to the Muggle world.

_Merlin_, a young redhead thought to herself, pushing her way through a tight knit circle of fifth year boys, who looked to be playing a magical game of marbles, she muttered obscenities to herself when one of the boys ousted her roughly from the circle, she glared at the boy, who just turned his back on her, and then turned her murderous glare to her mischievous lock of hair, that for the life of her, just would not stay behind her ear.

Blowing the offending strand away from her face, she turned her emerald gaze to the sea of people before her, searching for a certain brunette. Rolling her eyes, when she heard the cheers of someone winning the game from the Blokes behind her, she hoisted her heavy trunk up higher, and continued her trek towards the bright train that was waiting to take her to her home away from home.

She kept walking her gaze trained on the path in front of her, when a wisp of curly chestnut colored hair caught her gaze, she looked up to see her friend looking lost, and almost out of place.

"Alice!" The girl shouted to her confused looking friend, letting her trunk slid completely to the floor, she waved her hand franticly at the girl, and smiled when she saw Alice smile back.

" Lily!" The pale girl shouted back, her curls bounced as she made her was carefully through the crowd, excusing herself when she accidentally ran into a person. She grinned when she was face to face with her best friend, and immediately had the redhead in a bone crushing hug.

" Long time no see." Lily sang, smiling down at her short friend, and tweaking one of the girls glossy curls. She smiled, and thanked heaven Alice hadn't changed during there holidays.

"It wouldn't of been such a long time," Alice started, bending down to retrieve her trunk, looking up at her friend. " If a certain friend of mine had excepted my invitation to Paris."

Lily sighed, and pulled her own trunk up. The girls started walking towards the train, " You know I couldn't Al."

Alice rolled her bright sapphire eyes at the sugary voice her friend used, and helped Lily get her trunk on board the Hogwarts express, handing the redhead her trunk and then climbing the five steps to the train, " Oh yes, I forgot about your goal to out do Potter, silly me."

Alice laughed at the unflattering color her friend turned at the mention of the boys name. It was well known that James Potter and Lily Evans had a competition going on every year since second year, between who could out achieve the other. Last year it had been James, this year Lily was determined to be the winner, then the two would battle it out again in seventh year. This meant she had to decline her best friend invitation to Paris that summer, instead spending her time with her quill and parchment the whole three months.

' Lets not talk about that prat," Lily dismissed the subject, with a flick of her hand, as she ducked her head into a compartment, which had a rather large owl flying around, steadily dodging the chubby boy with rosy cheeks that was trying rather hard to capture it, she shut the door with a slight chuckle, turning back to her friend she asked, " How was Paris?

Once again rolling her eyes, Alice walked the halls with Lily, ducking her head into compartments to see if any where vacant. She turned a bright red, when she stumbled in on a couple. " Um, as fun as it could be. You know I cannot stand Trey, so I guess as fun as traveling half way across the world with Potter would be for you."

Lily cringed at the mention of his name, Trey Hogart was single-handedly to blame for Mr. Falcone, Alice's father's, coming out of the closet, or so to speak. The story is that, Mr. And Mrs. Falcone where happily married, there only child being Alice, when Mr. Falcone's secretary caught him and Trey shagging on Mr. Falcone's desk.

To make matters worse, Mr. Falcone worked as one of the head aurors in the Ministry of Magic, so this affair was publicized, much to the dismay of Alice's heart stricken mother, who took off right after the messy divorce, leaving Alice to live with her Father, and Trey, his lover.

This was all almost two years ago, but Alice was still understandably bitter about Trey and the whole situation, which was constantly rubbed in the shy girls face during there fourth and fifth years. Lily slowly followed Alice into the empty compartment they found, hefting there trunks into there storage spaces, they both promptly fell down on there benches.

" So," Lily eyed her fiend, wiggling her red eyebrows, enticing a giggle out of the brunette. She was determined to liven her friends mood.

Alice laughed, her sour mood forgotten, and asked, " So?"

"Anything interesting happen this summer?" Lily's smile was magnetic, she pushed a hand through her red locks, fishing the band out of her mass of hair.

" Nope," Alice sighed, leaning forward, when the train lurched to a go. " Not at all. And you?"

"Nah"

Alice rolled her eyes, " We've got to be the most boring witches to date lil."

Lily was about to say something, when the to door to the compartment was flung open, Lily's eyes hesitantly traveled up a jean and t-shirt clad body, to stare into the ocean blue eyes of none other than James Potter himself, a smirk lining his lips, when he spotted just whose compartment he had crashed in on.

" Well look who we have here." Lily could see the blush on her slightly pale friend's neck start to rise to her cheeks. She saw the dread in Alice's eyes, Lily didn't have to be a mind reader to see that Alice was silently praying Black wouldn't b accompanying Potter.

Lily rolled her eyes at James, and looked behind him to the grinning face of Sirius Black, " Yep, James our two little outcasts."

Alice seemed to be frozen in place when she heard Blacks voice, but who could blame her?

Alice was what most would call a full figured woman, but she was also short, having not grown and inch since fourth year the girl barely came up to Lily's shoulders, but her body had matured double fold, and people noticed, especially Black, who constantly teased her about her 'two big of knockers,' 'and an ass that the queen herself should outlaw'. Many blokes would kill to date Alice, and many had tried to woo her, but Alice was so self conscience and shy she just pushed those boys away saying that they where just joking.

Looking at her friend, it seemed the girl just wanted Black to get the merciless teasing over with, because her eyes said defeat when she looked at him.

" Get out," Lily said forcefully, mustering enough strength to defend Alice and her self, she didn't even give the two boys time to speak.

James looked at her, his smirk never leaving his face as he took the seat right next to Alice across from Lily, " Aw, c'mon' now Evans, what about that Gryffindor Loyalty? Besides I quiet like where I am, wouldn't you say the same Sirius?"

Black laughed, but stood in his original spot, leaning against the entrance way, " I'm just surprised you can fit on Falcone's bench bloke. Her ass takes up more than half."

Lily could see the tears start to swell in her friends pretty eyes, her equally pretty face was beginning to scrunch up in sadness. _Did Black enjoy this,_ The thought ran itself through Lily's head, as she glared at the tall raven haired bloke. _Obviously so. _

" Hey shut up!" Lily screamed, her arms flailing madly, she turned to James, and fixed him with a glare. " Just get out! Bugger off the both of you."

Sirius's face was masked in a smirk, displaying an emotion he didn't really feel at seeing the brunette almost shed tears, he ran a hand through his shaggy raven locks, and locked gazes with James.

James' eyes clearly shone with disapproval, as he stood and pushed Lily down with a smirk, some Cocky joke spilled its way out of his mouth, to which Lily made a sound at, and glared, he smirked and waved as he marched out of their compartment, Black following him.

Lily slammed the doors with force, and turned to see the dam in her friends eyes had broken, she hurried over to comfort the girl, laying Alice's head in her lap and stroking the girls silky hair.

She frowned down at her friend, not knowing what to say, when the bawling girl opened her mouth, " L-lily, w-why? Why does he h-hate me so much?" She didn't know just how wrong her words where.

The girls stuttered words made Lily's frown deepen, she couldn't answer her friend, she turned her face towards the compartment window, seeing that raindrops had covered the glass. The gray sky loomed gloomily over them.

_And to think_, she shook her head at the girl who was steadily asleep on her lap. _Today started out so perfect._

_-_

**Okay, so what do you think? Do I need to re-do this chapter? Does it suck? Please tell me! Questions to ask yourself? Does Sirius REALLY hate Alice? And what the deal with James and Lily's little competition? What are James's feelings towards lily? Remus and yes peter will be found in the next chapter! Please review! **


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